Five Stages

BWFC_Insane · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 10:32 am

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:

BWFC_Insane wrote:

Looking back at that team though, the likes of Blake, McGinlay, Thompson, Taggart, Fairclough, at the time they were a class above the championship.......I'm really not sure the same can be said of what we've got.....

They only seem that way in hindsight. They didn't in the Premier League, when they couldn't have fought their way out of a wet paper bag. Yer first-named man, Blake - having been bought as The Saviour, how many did he score that top-flight season? Taggart and Fairy were in the middle of a defence that lacked basic organisation. Tomo was stranded on the wing while Scott Sellars was lost in the middle.

If you were watching that season and foresaw a 98-point return the following term, then you're more of an optimist than I've ever known, or certainly seen on here...

My recollection was that Blake was signed when it was already too late to realistically stay up, as a precursor to the following season....

We did show a bit of an upturn in form towards the end of that season. Though IIRC was mainly Curcic inspired.....

Lord Kangana · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 11:05 am

Blake came at christmas and was overweight and shite. Alan Thompson hardly played as I seem to recall, Per and Smurf hadn't been signed, nor had the huge Curcic debacle happened.

In fact, Wayne Burnett and Steve McAnespie are 2 of my overriding memories of 95-96.

Dave Sutton's barnet · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 11:16 am

Blake was signed three or four days before Christmas, the same day we'd sent to press an issue of T'n'T begging for a striker. Debut was at Spurs (2-2, Gudni equaliser). We certainly weren't beyond salvation - who is in December? - but Blake showed little evidence in his first six months that he'd bag 30 the year after.

LK, Tomo was playing, ineffectually, wide left while Sellars (another winter signing IIRC) toiled ineffectually in the centre of a lightweight midfield. In the summer Todd switched them and each man immediately improved, alongside the Danish duo. Anyways...

BWFC_Insane · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 11:21 am

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:

Blake was signed three or four days before Christmas, the same day we'd sent to press an issue of T'n'T begging for a striker. Debut was at Spurs (2-2, Gudni equaliser). We certainly weren't beyond salvation - who is in December? - but Blake showed little evidence in his first six months that he'd bag 30 the year after.

LK, Tomo was playing, ineffectually, wide left while Sellars (another winter signing IIRC) toiled ineffectually in the centre of a lightweight midfield. In the summer Todd switched them and each man immediately improved, alongside the Danish duo. Anyways...

We might have had a chance, but were at the end of December 8 points adrift of safety with 10 points bagged from the 20 games played up to that point. I'd say, pretty much we were gone at that point......

Lord Kangana · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 11:32 am

So a worse scenario than this time round then, wouldn't you agree?

Lord Kangana · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 11:33 am

And DSB, didn't Tommo get injured for something like 3 months right in the middle of the season or something? I'm sure he missed a huge chunk of games that year.

BWFC_Insane · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 11:34 am

Lord Kangana wrote:

So a worse scenario than this time round then, wouldn't you agree?

Of course it was, though I'm not sure how that is relevant to anything?

Lord Kangana · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 11:37 am

Well, forgive me, but weren't you saying that a 96-97 season repeat wasn't possible?

Lost Leopard Spot · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 11:49 am

denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance
Really? bargaining? Is that where I say I'll buy a season ticket but only if its a quarter the price of last year?

BWFC_Insane · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 11:50 am

Lord Kangana wrote:

Well, forgive me, but weren't you saying that a 96-97 season repeat wasn't possible?

No. I was just saying that with the wonder of hindsight that we had a really good team to take down into the championship.

Perhaps we do now. Its certainly not impossible.

We'll probably need to buy a few though, like we did in 96-7!

Verbal · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 11:54 am

If we do stay up it's going to be pretty guffaw-worthy considering that Clint Hill header...a bit of symmetry with our clashes with Everton in 1998, I fancy. One survives, one goes down a goal that never was.

Bruce Rioja · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 12:04 pm

BWFC_Insane wrote:

Lord Kangana wrote:

Well, forgive me, but weren't you saying that a 96-97 season repeat wasn't possible?

No. I was just saying that with the wonder of hindsight that we had a really good team to take down into the championship.

Perhaps we do now. Its certainly not impossible.

No, what you actually said was "Looking back at that team though, the likes of Blake, McGinlay, Thompson, Taggart, Fairclough, at the time they were a class above the championship.......I'm really not sure the same can be said of what we've got.....

Dave Sutton's barnet · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 12:14 pm

Lord Kangana wrote:

And DSB, didn't Tommo get injured for something like 3 months right in the middle of the season or something? I'm sure he missed a huge chunk of games that year.

Yeah, he was far from ever-present, LK. But equally, when he was available he was far from first choice. Didn't help that we were faffing with different formations (Stubbs at centre-back, Stubbs as sweeper behind two centre-backs, Stubbs as anchor-man in front of two centre-backs) and wingers were oft sacrificed.

We improved a lot in the second half of the season, with the two-gaffer system ended and a proper coach in the late Ian Porterfield. I worked out a post-McFarland league table in T'n'T and we were mid-table (with, I recall, mid-table Middlesbrough rock-bottom for their Jan-May form - and indeed they went down the following term). However, it's a stretch for BWFCi to say the team looked like they'd walk Division Two.

Splitting hairs, perhaps, but perhaps somewhere in there is the hope that it could happen again... with the right coaching. (And yep, I know Porterfield left in summer after a drink-drive charge - enter Phil Brown...)

BWFC_Insane · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 12:16 pm

Bruce Rioja wrote:

BWFC_Insane wrote:

Lord Kangana wrote:

Well, forgive me, but weren't you saying that a 96-97 season repeat wasn't possible?

No. I was just saying that with the wonder of hindsight that we had a really good team to take down into the championship.

Perhaps we do now. Its certainly not impossible.

No, what you actually said was "Looking back at that team though, the likes of Blake, McGinlay, Thompson, Taggart, Fairclough, at the time they were a class above the championship.......I'm really not sure the same can be said of what we've got.....

Aye and I'm not sure, are you?

And DSB is right, we're looking with the benefit of hindsight at 96-97.

Perhaps this team we've got now will walk the championship. But as I've said I'm not sure either way.....

Dave Sutton's barnet · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 12:18 pm

For the record, I think we've got the basis for a very good Championship team, even if all the Bosmen leave (in which case we'd need one or two first-teamers and some squad depth). I'm just not confident in the management/coaching.

Armchair Wanderer · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 12:26 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:

For the record, I think we've got the basis for a very good Championship team, even if all the Bosmen leave (in which case we'd need one or two first-teamers and some squad depth).

100%

Bruce Rioja · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 12:31 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:

For the record, I think we've got the basis for a very good Championship team, even if all the Bosmen leave (in which case we'd need one or two first-teamers and some squad depth). I'm just not confident in the management/coaching.

My thoughts exactly. As I said earlier, all Coyle's signings are proven at that level. That said, so is Coyle, but I no longer have the faith in him to put them together as a cohesive unit.

bobo the clown · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 12:44 pm

oddly, & to my surprise, all 3 of last years relegated clubs managed to get to play-off levels this year. I think that shows the relative level of quality a squad gets to when in the Prem. Even Blackpool, who only had 1 season and also lost their 'best' 2 players.

The Bolton squad, even assuming a few leave of course, is certainly strong enough to do that ... esp. if Holden & Lee return. Moo's another matter altogether.

Whether Coyle can stop being bewildering, Thompson et al can learn to coach ... AND get the players fit, at least, remains to be seen.

BWFC_Insane · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 12:46 pm

Bruce Rioja wrote:

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:

For the record, I think we've got the basis for a very good Championship team, even if all the Bosmen leave (in which case we'd need one or two first-teamers and some squad depth). I'm just not confident in the management/coaching.

My thoughts exactly. As I said earlier, all Coyle's signings are proven at that level. That said, so is Coyle, but I no longer have the faith in him to put them together as a cohesive unit.

I don't think levels matter for management. You could argue its harder to manage in the championship than in the premiership, dependent upon circumstances.

I think the line of thinking that our players are proven at that level is dangerous too. Eagles and Mears were not exactly ripping up any trees with that Burnley side when we signed them.

Sordell was doing pretty well at Watford, but not exactly at the top end of the championship.

Other than that his other signings haven't featured at that level.

To be honest I think NGog could be great at that level. NRC will be immense down there as will a fully fit Holden and Lee. Eagles will be decent there too.

I think Ream will struggle aerially down there even more so than he does now. Alonso is bobbins for me. Mears as you say will be ok.

We're struggling at the back really in the championship as it stands, and don't have cover up front.

We'd need to sign a few, but thats always the case.

Fook it, 100 goals and this time with no Tranmere a 100 fecking points! :mrgreen:

Dave Sutton's barnet · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 12:56 pm

bobo the clown wrote:

Whether Coyle can stop being bewildering, Thompson et al can learn to coach ... AND get the players fit, at least, remains to be seen.

Big-nosed 'Scouser Tommo' Phil to join the BWFC staff? You heard* it here first**...

*Well, read
** And last

Five Stages

Who is online